Written Answers Friday 17 April 2009

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patient transport vehicles are in operation in the NHS (a) Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) Lanarkshire areas.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not held by NHS Board Area. However, the Scottish Ambulance Service has advised that there are currently 155 patient transport service vehicles operating in their West Central Operating Division.

  Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement in a press release of 23 March 2009 of £25.5 million in investment in new vehicles for the Scottish Ambulance Service, when it anticipates that new patient transport vehicles funded by the investment will be in operation.

Shona Robison: Roll-out of this latest investment in new ambulance service vehicles will proceed over the next three years. Detail of the timing of each vehicle coming in to operation, and the operating divisions into which they will be deployed, is not held centrally. However the Scottish Ambulance Service has advised that the first batch of six new patient transport service vehicles are expected to be delivered in early June.

  Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement in a press release of 23 March 2009 of £25.5 million in investment in new vehicles for the Scottish Ambulance Service, how may new patient transport vehicles will be allocated to the NHS (a) Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) Lanarkshire areas.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22264, on 17 April 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement in a press release of 23 March 2009 of £25.5 million in investment in new vehicles for the Scottish Ambulance Service, what increase in the number of patient journeys will be made by new patient transport vehicles funded by the investment.

Shona Robison: This investment in ambulance service vehicles will ensure the Scottish Ambulance Service has the right mix of modern vehicles to continue to offer the best possible care to patients.

  While this investment has no direct impact on the number of patient journeys undertaken, nor the numbers of cancellations, the Scottish Ambulance Service is committed to improving the punctuality and efficiency of the Patient Transport Service (PTS) and this is being looked at as part of their PTS Strategy review.

  The Scottish Ambulance Service have been reviewing their PTS Strategy over the last year. During this period the Service has consulted patients, NHS Boards and other stakeholders for views on the type of service that should be provided and how improvements can be made. The Service is looking to develop the PTS in a way that addresses the strategic issues raised by stakeholders while delivering value for money and remaining within budget. The work is designed to ensure that the Patient Transport Service maximises its performance against six key quality dimensions of service delivery as follows:-

  Patient-centred

  Safe

  Effective

  Efficient

  Equitable

  Timely

  The revised PTS strategy is due to be completed before the end of the year.

  Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement in a press release of 23 March 2009 of £25.5 million in investment in new vehicles for the Scottish Ambulance Service, what reduction in patient transport cancellations will be created by new patient transport vehicles funded by the investment.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22266, on 17 April 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Crime

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many woundings were reported where the weapon used was a (a) gun and (b) sharp or pointed instrument in each police board area in each of the last three years.

Kenny MacAskill: Number of crimes and offences recorded by the police in which a firearm was fired resulting in fatal or non-fatal injury, 2005-06 to 2007-08.

  

Police Force
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08


Northern
1
1
4


Grampian
7
4
5


Tayside
31
26
39


Fife
2
7
7


Lothian & Borders
37
45
52


Central
4
3
4


Strathclyde
109
157
95


Dumfries & Galloway
6
5
5


Total
197
248
211



  Source: Scottish Government Recorded crimes and offences involving firearms statistical collection.

  Information about wounds caused by sharp or pointed instruments is not available in the form requested. Crimes where a sharp or pointed instrument was used are recorded by the police as ‘having in a public place an article with a blade or point’. It is not possible to identify whether this led to a wound.

  However, information about the number of homicides where a sharp instrument was the main method of killing is available in the statistical bulletin Homicide in Scotland, 2007-08 which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre – Bib. number 47922.